Combination table and case



July- 18, 1950 J. P. KAUFFMAN 2,515,875

COMBINATION TABLE AND CASE Filed March 28, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.

John P; Kauffman INVENTQR.

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July 18, 1950 J. P. KAUFFMAN 2,515,876

COMBINATION TABLE AND CASE Filed March 28, 1.949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 John P. Kauffman- INVENTOR.

Patented July 18, i950 UNITED 2,515,876 COMBINATION TABLE AND CASE J 01111 P. Kauffinan, Blue Island, 111., assignor of twenty-five: per cent to Louis Mech, Blue Island, Ill.

Application March 28, 1949, sat-a1 No. 83,807

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in portable cases or cabinets and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a. knock-down case for carrying projectors and the like, that is quickly and readily con- 8 Claims. (01. 312-2) verted to a table or stand for supporting the projector.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a case including a plurality of hinged sections and embodying novel and improved means for retaining the sections assembled for use as a case or table. l

A further object of the present invention is to provide a combinationtable and case including a plurality of sectional legs embodying novel and improved means for retaining the legs extended from the case andtable, and the sections of the legs extended from each other when the device is utilized as a support or table.

A still further aim of the present invention, is to provide a combination table and case, that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, neat and attractive in appearance, small and compact in structure, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same s intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeparts throughout, and in which Figure l is a perspective view of the present invention assembled and constituting a carrying case for a projector.

)2 locking members used in conjunction with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disposed a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The numeral l0 represents an elongated substantially rectangular base member of preferably resilient metal construction, having its longitudinal edges hinged as at l2, to the inner longitudinal edges l4 and I6 of a pair of substantially rectangular side walls 18 and 2D.

The outer longitudinal edge of the side wall 20 is hinged, as at 22, to one longitudinal edge of a substantially rectangular closure. Flanges 26 extend from all but the hinged edge of the closure 24 for a purpose which will be later more fully apparent.

A pair of substantially rectangular end members 28 and 30 are associated with the side mem- 20 ber 20and are hinged, as at 32 to the transverse edges of the side wall 20. The end walls 28 and 30 are of a length substantially equal to the width of the side walls and the width of the end walls are substantially equal to the width of the base member.

' ing had to the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like invention assembled to constitute a table or support.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 5-5 of Figure 1.

V Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 3-4; of Figure 1.

Figure '7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line l--1 "of Fi ure "3, and;

Q Figure 8 is a perspective view of one of the Guides or tongues 34 are integrally formed with the transverse edges of the side wall 18 and are spaced from the outer surfaces of the side wall 18 toprovide channels 36. Further guides or tongues 38 are integrally formed with the end walls 23 and 3B, and are spaced from the outer surfaces of the end walls to define further channels 40.

The numeral 42 represents a plurality of looking members that are used in conjunction with the present invention generally. These locking members 42 each comprise an elongated angle strip 44 .havingtheir legs folded inwardly, as at 46, to provide longitudinal channels 48. The channels 48 slidably receive the guides 34 and 38 and retain the locking members relative to the end walls and the side wall l8. The locking members also function as sealing strips since the same extend throughout the width of the side walls and throughout the length of the end wall.

Theclosure 24 is provided with a hand grip 50, and any suitable locking means, such as 52 is employed for holding the closure to the side wall l8 and the flanges 26 of the closure bearing against the outer faces of the end walls, and the outer face of the side wall 18.

Spring members 54 are secured to the inner face of the base member I0, adjacent the transverse edges thereof, and include portions 56 spaced from the base member i I] that will engage lateral projections 58 extending from the inner faces of the end walls 28 and 38 in order to retain the end walls relative to the base member. It should be noted, that the portions 58 yieldingly urge the projections 58 against the inner surface of the base member In when the instant structure is assembled for use as a case, see Figures 1 and 6.

Secured to the inner surfaces of the side walls [8 and 20, adjacent the outer longitudinal edges thereof, is a plurality of U-shaped brackets or supports 68, the legs of which support pivot pins 62 that are disposed longitudinally of the side walls.

A pair of legs, designated generally by the numeral 64, are associated with each of the side walls and these legs include inner and outer chan-' nel sections 68 and 66.

The leg portions of the outer channel sections 66 are provided with longitudinal slots 18, at their inner ends, that slidably and pivotally receive the pins 62 and the leg portions of the outer channel sections 66, at their outer ends, support pins 12 that are slidably received in longitudinal slots 14 provided in the leg portions of the inner channel sections 68.

Resilient strips or spring arms 16 are secured to the inner surfaces of the webs of said outer sections 66, adjacent the pin 12, and receive the tapered or inturned ends 18 of the inner channel 1 sections 68 to urge the ends 18 against the webs of the outer sections 66 and thereby retain the outer sections 66 inclined to the inner sections 68.

The inner ends of the outer channel sections 66 support cross strips 88 that are engaged by spring arms 82 fixed'to the inner surfaces of the side walls, to retain the inclined edges 82 of the sections 66 against the inner faces of the side walls with the sections 66 extending from and inclined to the side walls, as shown best in Fig- 1 ure 4.

When the legs are not in use, the sections 68 are pulled downwardly relative to the sections 66 until the ends 18 are clear of the spring arms 16 and the outer ends of the sections 66, whereupon the sections 68 are folded within the sections 66.

The sections 66 are pulled downwardly with respect to the side walls so that the cross strips 88 are clear of the spring arms 82. The legs are then folded inwardly toward the side walls and are yieldingly gripped by U-shaped springs 84 secured to the inner faces of the side walls.

Suitably fixed to the inner surface of the end walls 38, is the shorter leg of a substantially L- shaped support 86 having itslonger leg provided with a tapered or pointed extremity 88 for receiving film reels or the like. The longer leg of the support 86 extends upwardly when the instant structure is assembled for use as a table and projects outwardly from the end wall 38. However, when the instant structure is assembled for use as a case, the longer leg of the support 86 extends downwardly and is disposed within the formed case together with the legs 64.

Guides or tongues 80 are integrally formed with Y the transverse edges of the side wall [8 and are spaced from the inner surface of the side wall l8, and further guides or tongues 92 are integrally formed with the longitudinal edges of the end walls, adjacent the side wall l8, and are spaced from the inner surfaces of the end walls. These guides 98 and 92 .slidably receive the channels 48 of the locking members 42 when the present artiand 7.

same is assembled to constitute a case as illustrated in Figural, with the locking members 42 engaged with the guides 34 and 38, the support '86 disposed within the case, the legs 64 also retained within the case and the projections 58 engaged with the spring arms or portions 56. To convert the instant structure from the case illustrated in Figure 1, to the support or table as illustrated in Figure 3, it is merely necessary to disengage'the'locking means 42 and to swing the side walls I8 and 28 downwardly with respect to the base member II], it being understood, that the locking members 42 are first removed from the tongues 34' and 38;

Thelocking members are then engaged with thetongues 98 and 92 and the legs are folded outwardly, as previously described, so that the leg sections 68 will be disposed in a substantially vertical position.

1 Any suitable articles may be disposed upon the closure 24,'such as reels "or the like, which are conveniently accessible for the placement on the projector held upon the base member I0.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed. that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A moredetailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment ofthe invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and thescope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is: j

1. A collapsible support comprising a base member, first and second side walls hinged to said member, a pair of end walls hinged to said first side wall, means detachably securing the end walls to the second sidewall, legs pivotally mounted on said sid walls, and means for locking the legs to the side walls and against pivotal movement.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first mentioned means includes a plurality of slidable locking members, and guides carried by said second side wall and said end walls slidably receiving said locking members.

' 3.'The combination of claim 1 wherein said means forlocking the legs to the side walls includes a cross strip carried by each of said legs, and resilient catches mounted on said side walls receiving said cross-strips.

4. A collapsible support comprising a base member, first and second side walls hinged to said member, a pair-of end walls hinged to first side wall, guides secured to said second'side wall, further guides secured to said end walls, locking members slidably engaging and connecting the first mentioncd guides to the further guides and sealing the end walls to the second side wall, legs pivotally mounted on said side walls, and means for locking the; legs extendedfrom the side walls, said legs including inner and outer channel memberse means zslidably and pivotally securing said inner and outer channel members together, and

means retaining the inner channel members extended from said outer channel members.

5. The combination of claim 4 and means carried by one of said end walls for supporting articles thereon.

6. The combination of claim 4 and means releasably securing the end walls to the base memher.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said means includes lateral projections on said end members, and spring members carried by said base member lockably receiving said projections.

8. A collapsible projector support comprising a base member, first and second side walls hinged to said base member, a pair of end walls and a closure hinged to said first side wall, a first group of guides secured to the second side wall, a second group of guides secured to the end walls, locking strips slidably engaging said first and second groups of guides and securing the end walls to the second side wall, legs pivoted to said side walls and including inner and outer sections,

outer sections.

means locking the outer sections of said legs extended from the side walls, means slidably and pivotally securing the outer sections of said legs to the inner sections of said legs, and means looking said inner sections extended relative to said JOHN P. KAUFFMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

